The day I learned brick coursing math was off by 3 percent

Last month I was bidding a small retaining wall in Columbus and figured I'd double check my brick count with the spec sheet from the supplier. Turns out their standard coursing table assumes a 3/8 inch joint, but my crew runs a 1/4 inch joint on most jobs. That tiny difference meant I was short by 12 bricks on a 400 brick wall, which would have left me scrambling mid-pour. I called the supplier and they confirmed the spec assumes the bigger joint, so now I always ask for the joint size before I trust their numbers. Has anyone else caught a similar discrepancy with manufacturer tables, or am I the only one who trusts the printed sheet too much?

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max_hernandez2726d ago

The math isn't off, you just used the wrong table. Your 1/4 inch joint is 1/8 inch tighter than their standard, which means more bricks per square foot. 3 percent is about right for that difference. I've seen guys short a whole pallet on big jobs because they used the 3/8 spec on a tight joint mortar mix. The bigger catch is when the wall has curves or corners, that's where the table really falls apart, not on a straight run. Your supplier's sheet is fine, you just have to know which version of their numbers actually matches your day on the wall.

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